


Marry Me, My Dearest Friend

by kaynibbler16



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Angst, Established Friendship, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Gen, fake engagement
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-11
Packaged: 2018-09-14 23:25:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9210092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaynibbler16/pseuds/kaynibbler16
Summary: Marinette Dupain-Cheng has a best friend whom she has been in love with since they were teenagers, but he’s never noticed. One night, he called her up in a panic to admit that he told his father that they were engaged to be married all so he could avoid an arranged marriage. Marinette, being the best friend that she was, decided to play along but there will be no telling if she will make it through this fake engagement with her heart still intact.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy! ~kittybug

“Marinette, I did something really stupid.”

“Is this a ‘I told Nino that I’m great at tennis but haven’t played it in ten years’ kind of stupid or ‘I almost accidentally set fire to your kitchen because I’ve never used a toaster oven before’ kind of stupid? I’m still trying to figure out how you managed to do that with my toaster oven, by the way.” Marinette sat up and looked at the clock on her bedside table. It was two am. Only Adrien would call her this early in the morning completely panicked over something.

There was a long pause and Marinette wondered for a brief moment if Adrien had actually hung up until she heard a shuddering breath come over the line. Adrien coughed awkwardly before he answered her. “Um, this is more of a ‘my dad is trying to arrange a marriage between me and some diplomat’s daughter so I panicked and told him that I was already engaged’ kind of stupid.”

Marinette pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it. “Are you drunk?!” she shouted.

“No! Well, maybe a little bit, but I didn’t know how to tell you! I thought some alcohol would help ease my nerves and, well, here we are.”

She could sense his silly grin even over the phone. That stupid—wait. “Adrien, why were you so nervous to tell me this?”

“Um…”

“Adrien. What. Did. You. Do?!”

“ImayhavetoldmydadthatIwasengagedtoyou,” he said, slurring all his words together.

But Marinette heard everything loud and clear. “You what?” she asked, her voice dying in her throat.

“I may have told my dad that I was—”

“I heard that bit. Adrien—you—what—why?!” Marinette flopped back against her sheets, shock thrumming through her system.

“I panicked!” he cried. “He told me that I was finally old enough to get married and there was this diplomat he was friends with that had a daughter who was already in love with me.”

Marinette glared at her ceiling as she thought about some strange girl Adrien didn’t even know claiming to love him. She already didn’t like this prospective bride. “And so to get out of it you claimed that you and I were engaged?”

“Kind of, yeah.” Adrien sighed on the other side of the line. “At first he didn’t believe me, but I managed to convince him that you and I were planning to get married.”

Marinette grabbed a pillow and covered her face with it before she screamed for a solid ten seconds. When she finished and pulled it away, she said, “You’re an idiot.”

“I know.”

“Stupid, stupid idiot.”

“You’ve said that.”

“Complete and total idiot—”

“Okay, we’ve established that I’m an idiot and you have every right to be angry at me, but please, Marinette—help me,” Adrien begged, his voice taking on a husky quality that would have made Marinette’s toes curl in any other circumstance. “Please, my sweet Mari-berry.”

“Ugh, I hate that nickname and you know it,” Marinette groaned.

Adrien chuckled and this time there was some definite toe curling on Marinette’s side. “No you don’t.”

“Shut up.” Marinette rubbed her eyes, having only been asleep for an hour when Adrien called. “You are sounding surprisingly sober right now, you know.”

“I didn’t actually drink that much. So, what do you say? Will you be my bride-to-be?” Adrien asked nervously.

“I hate you.”

“No you don’t. You love me.”

Very much, Marinette thought to herself. Not that Adrien ever noticed. He was gorgeous and funny and kind and totally oblivious to her feelings.

“Marinette, you still there?” Adrien asked.

“Um, yeah. Sorry.”

“So, will you help me?”

With a heavy sigh, Marinette said, “Yes, I’ll help you, but I don’t know how you expect us to pull this off.”

“Oh, I’ve been thinking about that! How does dinner sound? We can go over the details then.”

“I’m guessing at my place.”

Adrien gasped dramatically over the phone. “How did you know? It’s like you read my mind!”

“A, you’re predictable. B, you invite yourself over all the time. And C, you better be bringing the food or I’m not opening my door.”

“Fine,” Adrien agreed with an exaggerated sigh. “Whatever my dear fiancee desires.”

“That’s going to take some getting used to,” Marinette said, ignoring the flutter in her belly at the word “fiancee.”

“Yeah,” Adrien responded. There was something off about his voice, but Marinette put it down to the shock of suddenly realizing that he was engaged. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, okay.”

“Goodnight, Mari-berry.”

“Adrien,” Marinette growled. “Goodnight.”

He was still laughing when she hung up and plugged her phone back into its charger.

Oh god, what had she just agreed to?!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning came far too soon for Marinette and she wanted nothing more than to burrow back under her covers and not get up, but even if it was a Saturday she still had things to do. Namely, meeting Alya for breakfast.

She quickly called her friend to let her in on Adrien’s plan.

Big mistake.

“Please stop laughing,” Marinette groaned as the two waited for their food to arrive.

Alya had been giggling since their phone call and Marinette wished she had never told her in the first place. “Oh my god, this is hysterical! Wait until Nino hears about it!”

Marinette glanced around them, noticing the stares they were getting and leaned over the table to hiss at Alya, “Seriously, we have to keep this a secret. That means no telling your boyfriend, even if he is friends with Adrien.”

“Girl, please, I’m sure Adrien has already filled him in about this whole disaster by now.”

Marinette dropped her head to the table, embarrassment flooding her veins. God, what had she been thinking?! They were going to be found out in a heartbeat.

“You know, I know you love him, but this is a bit much.”

“What was I supposed to do, Alya? His dad wanted him to marry someone he doesn’t even know,” Marinette whispered.

“It’s too late now for what ifs. You’ll just have to play along until Adrien meets some other girl he wants to marry.”

Marinette glared at her friend.

“Don’t give me that look. Weren’t you the one who didn’t want to jeopardize her friendship with Adrien by admitting that she’s in love with him?”

“Why must you remind me?” Marinette buried her face in her arms.

“Because you could take a risk and maybe it’ll actually work out.” Alya had finally stopped laughing and was now looking at Marinette with sympathy. “Maybe this your chance, Mar.”

“I can’t, Alya. I just…can’t.”

Alya rolled her eyes. “Why not?”

“Because he wouldn’t love me.” Marinette turned her head towards the window next to their booth and watched the hustle and bustle of the busy Parisian morning.

Alya rested her palm on Marinette’s shoulder. “He already loves you.”

Marinette let out a bitter laugh. “Not like the way I want him to. I’m his best friend, but nothing more.”

“If you say so.” Alya took a sip of her coffee. “But just think about it. You may be surprised by the results.”

Marinette quickly changed the subject to something more benign than her unrequited feelings. “So, how goes it with Nino these days?”

“Same old, same old. He’s got a DJ gig tonight. Did you and Adrien want to come?”

“Don’t think we can. We were going to figure out the details of our…engagement tonight.” Marinette blushed at the word “engagement.” This was getting more real by the hour.

“Ah, well, let me see the ring when you get it,” Alya said.

Marinette’s throat tightened. A ring?

“Oh my god, I’m going to have to wear a ring,” Marinette muttered, shocked that this fact had completely escaped her until now.

“Yep, and act like a couple,” Alya added. “Well, more like a couple. I mean, you two are practically all over each other anyway.”

“We are not,” Marinette said, defensive. “We are just really close.”

“Yeah? How close?” Alya asked, a mischievous glint in her eye.

Marinette spluttered, but was saved from answering when their waitress arrived with their food. Thankfully, Alya didn’t bring the question up again and Marinette’s heart was able to go back to its usual rhythm.

It was going to be a long day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marinette was working on a dress design when Adrien called her. He couldn’t talk for long because he was only on a short break between photo shoots, but he agreed to be there no later than seven that evening.

After Adrien hung up, Marinette couldn’t focus on her design anymore and decided now was as good a time as any to clean her whole apartment.

A hot shower calmed her nerves a bit and she let the powerful spray work its wonders on her tense muscles. She had just stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel when she heard someone open and close her front door and remembered too late that she had given Adrien a spare key.

“Marinette, I’m here—” Adrien stopped as soon as he rounded the corner, his arms laden down with bags of food. He seemed to forget himself for a moment. “Um, I’m here.”

“I can see that,” Marinette said, her face burning with embarrassment. “I’ll just..go get changed.”

Marinette could smell his cologne as she passed him on the way to her room and a shiver raced down her spine that she would swear on her grave was caused by the cool air outside the bathroom and nothing else. When she was finally behind a closed door, she let out a shuddering breath and slumped onto her bed.

Quickly throwing on some pajamas, Marinette wrapped her hair in a towel and left her bedroom.

Adrien was sitting at her dining room table with a steaming plate of Indian food in front of him and the television playing in the background. Her stomach rumbled in hunger as soon as she smelled the spices wafting off his plate.

“Hey,” he greeted her, turning his gaze away from the show he was watching. “Hungry?”

“Starved.” Marinette helped herself to the ridiculous amount of food Adrien brought with him. Seriously, there was enough for a family of eight. Although, she couldn’t remember the last time she went to the market for groceries. “How was work?”

“Busy. Tiring. You know, the usual.” Adrien smirked, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

That was his usual response concerning his work as a model these days. Marinette could tell that it was starting wear on him. “Well, now you can relax. Although, are you supposed to be eating that much food? Won’t your personal trainer get mad?”

“Probably, but what he doesn’t know will make my stomach happy.” This time he gave her one of his genuine smiles.

“At least we won’t go hungry tonight.”

They fell into a comfortable silence as they ate, but it wasn’t long before Marinette started to think about the fake engagement again.

How does one act like they’re engaged? How should she approach this subject with Adrien?

What if she has to kiss Adrien?

Oh. Oh god, she hadn’t thought about that.

Well, she had, but she didn’t think it would ever actually happen.

Marinette hadn’t realized that she had stopped eating until Adrien reached out and touched her hand. “You okay? Do you not like it?”

“Huh? Oh no, it’s good. I was just…thinking about something.”

Adrien winced. It seemed he knew what she was thinking about, or at least had a general idea. “I imagine it has something to do with the engagement?”

Marientte sighed. “How…how are we going to do this, Adrien?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, for starters, we need to meet with my father soon so that he can see that I’m no longer available. And we need to start acting the part of a couple, too.”

Marinette’s heart began to race in her chest. “Oh, yeah.”

“You know, holding hands. Flirting. Kissing.”

Marinette choked. “Ki…kissing?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, couples kiss,” Adrien said with shrug, seemingly unaffected by his own words. “We’ll have to practice that a bit.”

The world seemed to tilt for a moment until Marinette remembered to breathe. “Practice?”

She was beginning to sound like a broken record.

Adrien reached out and grasped her hand. “I know this won’t be easy, but please bear with me, Mar.”

“Yeah,” Marinette murmured. “I think I need a drink.”

Adrien laughed. “Me too.”

By nine that evening, Marinette and Adrien had emptied a full bottle of wine and were already working another bottle. They were lounging on the couch together and watching some historical romance they found while flipping through the channels. Marinette’s nerves were all but gone due to the alcohol and she was comfortably resting her head on Adrien’s shoulder.

She was beginning to drift off when Adrien shifted his position to face her. Marinette lifted her head, a little tired from the wine. He smiled at her and she smiled back.

Adrien’s hand brushed her face as he asked, “Marinette, may I kiss you?”

Marinette blinked at him. “What?”

“May I kiss you?”

Marinette knew that she hadn’t had enough wine for the alcohol to affect her judgment yet, but she would still blame the wine in the morning. “Yes.”


	2. Chapter 2

Morning came with rain and thunder. Adrien was asleep on Marinette’s couch and she was still in bed, staring at her ceiling and thinking about the night before.

She had kissed Adrien.

His lips had been soft and tasted of lingering spices. It was tender and chaste, but Marinette almost melted into a puddle of happy goo afterwards.

It was just practice, nothing more. She should really stop thinking about it.

He smelled so good, though. Whatever cologne he used has been permanently burned into her memory. And the way his hand caressed her face as they kissed—

No. No, stop thinking about it.

Unable to go back to sleep, Marinette decided that it was as good a time as any to get up and get dressed. Still distracted by thoughts of last night’s kiss, Marinette didn’t notice that she had thrown on one Adrien’s many shirts that had mysteriously found its way into her closet until she was already wearing it.

Oh well, he wouldn’t care.

Shuffling out into the kitchen, Marinette tossed a glance at the couch Adrien was sleeping on and stopped dead in her tracks.

He was shirtless.

Oh, wow.

She’d seen him without a shirt on many times before, but after last night it was something of a new experience. A blanket was draped over his legs, but his chest was completely exposed for her to see. He had become lean and well muscled over the years. His personal trainer deserved a medal. Really, why was he so damn good looking?

“Good morning.” Adrien’s sleep worn voice broke through her thoughts.

Shit, he caught her ogling his body.

Marinette stuttered, “G-good morning.”

“Nice shirt.” He sat up and grinned at her with half lidded eyes that should be illegal. “Wondered where I left that one.”

“I’ll return it after I wash it,” Marinette said, careful to keep her voice even despite the way her heart wanted to force its way out of her chest at the sight of so much Adrien on display.

He frowned. “Why don’t you keep it. Makes the engagement more convincing to anyone who might visit.”

“Oh, okay.” That made sense. Besides her friends, Marinette didn’t have visitors very often, but it never hurt to be cautious. “You want some coffee?”

“Mm,” Adrien grunted as he stretched, his eyes squeezed shut with the effort. “That sounds great.”

Marinette might have stopped breathing when Adrien started to loosen up his shoulder muscles. God bless, she thought. She forced her gaze away from him and focused on making the morning coffee.

They talked about anything and everything over left over Indian food, barely straying towards the fake engagement at first.

“We’ll need to get you a ring,” Adrien finally said as his he finished his first cup of coffee. “I’ve got an in with some of the top jewelers in Paris.”

Marinette stared at him. “Why not just get a plain band from one of the local shops?”

He looked away from her for moment. “I guess, if that’s what you want.”

“Well, I mean, it’s just for show, right?”

Adrien grabbed his mug and got up to pour himself another cup of coffee. He took a sip as he leaned against the counter top. “Yeah, but too simple of a band might tip some people off. Namely, my father. Why don’t we meet with some of the jewelers to get a better idea for what might work best.”

“Okay,” Marinette agreed. “But nothing extravagant. I can’t afford anything besides a simple ring.”

“Mar, I’ll buy the ring. I mean, I’m the one who technically proposed.” Adrien set his mug down on the table and returned to his breakfast. “At least one carat would be best. We can go with traditional gold, but I’ll let you decide on the metal.”

With her mouth full of food, Marinette couldn’t argue with Adrien. He reached across the table to grasp her left hand. “A princess cut is popular, but I think an oval cut would suit your hand better. A marquis cut or even a pear cut would work, too. Of course, it’s really your choice.”

Adrien’s really been thinking about this, Marinette mused. He probably wants this to go over well considering the arranged marriage proposal.

Marinette thought it best to hold off on arguing with Adrien over the ring for the time being and focus on how to convince their mutual friends that they were engaged.

Or her parents.

“Adrien, what are we going to tell people? My family knows we’re not a couple.”

Adrien shot her a confused look, but it quickly vanished. He said, “Oh, we could just say that we finally decided to stop dancing around our feelings and get engaged.”

“And just skipped over the dating part?”

“Well, we’ve been together since high school so it wouldn’t be that much of a stretch. I mean, you’re parents already think of me as a son-in-law anyway,” Adrien said. He finished his food and leaned back in his chair. “At this point, I’m pretty sure that they wouldn’t be too surprised if you showed up at their house with a ring on your finger.”

Marinette gaped at him. “What—”

“We’ll just use it to our advantage.”

This peeved her a bit. “I’m not going to lie to my parents, Adrien.”

Adrien at least had the decency to look ashamed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed—”

“My mom and dad deserve the truth. I’m sure they’ll understand given the situation,” Marinette explained. “They care about you, you know.”

This actually made Adrien blush. “They have always been kind to me.”

“Of course they have! You’re a good man and they saw that just like I did. You don’t have to fool them for this to work. Look, just let me talk to them—”

“I want to be there, too. I dragged you into this so I should be there to explain myself.” There was a finality to Adrien’s tone and she knew better than to argue with him. Once he set his mind on something it was damn near impossible to change it, plus he was right. She didn’t know if her parents would simply take her word for it.

“Alright, then it’s settled.” Marinette went to grab Adrien’s plate to put it in the sink but he was quicker than her. He took both plates to the sink and washed them.

“I told Nino, by the way,” Adrien said, as he finished up.

“Oh, okay. I told Alya.”

He laughed as he dried his hands on a towel. “I had a feeling you would. Of course, I’m sure Nino tried to tell Alya as well but she probably knew by that point.”

“I hope you realize that the more people know, the more likely someone will find out.”

“Maybe, but it helps to have some of our closest friends on our side, just in case,” Adrien said as he walked into the living room, stretching his arms high above his head.

Sweet macarons, why did he look so attractive this damn early in the morning?

A trickle of coffee dribbled out of her mouth as she watched him continue to flex his muscles. When he was finally done, Adrien grabbed his discarded shirt and pulled it on.

“You know, I have a couple of clean shirts that belong to you that you could use,” Marinette commented as she cleaned coffee off her chin before he saw, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Adrien quirked a brow at her. “Oh, that’s okay. This is fine. I’m going straight home after this anyway.”

“But, won’t your neighbors notice that you’re wearing the same thing as yesterday?” Marinette asked.

“Maybe? But it’s not the first time I’ve come home the next day wearing the same thing. Most people just assume I was at your place.”

“Why would they assume that?”

Adrien’s smug grin only confused Marinette more.

“You heading out, then?” she asked.

“I probably should. I have a session with my trainer later today and then a photo shoot this evening.” He grabbed his coat and walked over to her. “I’ll give you a call later tonight, okay? If anything comes up, just text me.”

“Okay,” Marinette said. She stood up to give him a hug, which he returned. “Have a good day.”

He smiled and then did something that surprised her.

He kissed her.

Right at the corner of her mouth, barely missing her lips.

“See you, Mari-berry,” he murmured and then he was out the door.

She stared after him. “I hate that name.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rest of the day was spent on washing clothes and working on designs. By the time nine o’clock rolled around, Marinette was tired. Her phone rang and she noticed an unfamiliar number on the caller ID. Who was calling her this late at night?

“Hello, Marinette Dupain-Cheng speaking.”

“Hello, Miss Dupain-Cheng. This is Nathalie Sancoeur of Gabriel Agreste’s office. I wonder if you have a few moments to speak with me.”

Shit.

“Um, yes, that’s fine. I’m not busy.”

Shitshitshitshit.

“Thank you. We are calling you today to congratulate you on your recent engagement to Mr. Agreste’s son.”

Marinette breathed a sigh of relief. Okay, it wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be. “Oh, well, thank you.”

“We would also like to formally invite you to dine with Mr. Agreste this Friday.”

Fuck.

“O—oh! Well, um, I will have to check my schedule…”

“Of course. We expect a reply by this Wednesday if possible.”

Marinette swallowed around the lump growing in her throat. A dinner with Mr. Agreste? She had dreamed about meeting her fashion idol for years and, despite being friends with Adrien, had never actually held a conversation with the man. What should she wear? What colors would be best for a Friday night dinner? What kind of dinner would it be? Should she match with Adrien?

Adrien.

“Um, Ms. Sancoeur, I’ll have to check with Adrien’s schedule as well—”

“Already taken care of, Ms. Dupain-Cheng. Please call me at this number with your reply when you have consulted with your schedule.”

“Oh. Okay,” Marinette breathed, overwhelmed by the conversion.

“Thank you and please have a wonderful evening. We hope to hear from you soon.”

The woman didn’t wait for Marinette to answer before hanging up.

What the hell?

She needed to talk to Adrien.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“And then she just hung up,” Marinette said as she poured a glass of wine. Adrien finally called around ten and she immediately launched into a review of the conversation she’d had with Gabriel’s personal assistant.

Adrien sighed over the phone. “He certainly didn’t wait long.”

“What are we going to do, Adrien? I’ve never really talked to your father before despite knowing you for ten years.”

“We’ll have to meet with him, no doubt about that. I’m glad he waited until Friday, though. It gives us some time to prepare.”

Marinette plopped down onto her couch, taking a large swig of her drink before she asked, “How are we going to prepare for this?”

“I’ll try to get a hold of him sometime this week to get a better idea as to what exactly he expects from us this Friday.”

“Expects from us? What the hell does that mean?”

Adrien groaned. “Probably wants to know basic facts about our relationship. When did we start dating, when did I propose, when did we want to hold the wedding? You know, stuff like that.”

Her heart jumped in her chest. “Stuff like that?” she screamed into the phone.

“Geez, Mar! Scream a bit louder, I don’t think they heard you in New York yet.”

She winced. “Sorry.”

“No, I understand.” He sighed. “Look, I’ll talk to him. We’ll decide on the details later. Maybe make a list so we can keep our story straight.”

She set her drink down on her coffee table. “Okay, but I need to give them an answer by Wednesday.”

“Understood. I’ll call him sometime between now and then,” Adrien said. He sounded exhausted. “Also, you’re going to need to dress nicely. It’s not every day that father extends an invitation like this, even to me.”

Marinette’s chest ached. Adrien had to be invited to dinner by his father now? This man may be her fashion idol, but he hit beneath the bar on her “decent father” scale.

“I’m sorry, Adrien.”

Adrien scoffed. “Don’t be. I’m used to it.”

“You shouldn’t have to be.”

“Marinette, we’ve been over this…”

She stretched out her legs and tossed a blanket onto her lap. “I know, but it’s just—”

“I know you’re upset on my behalf. That is what I love about you,” Adrien said with affection. “But it won’t change my father’s behavior.”

They were quiet for a long moment, just listening to the other breathe on the other side of the line. They have had similar conversations like this before. Not much talking, just comfortable silence knowing that the other person was there, even miles away.

Marinette cherished her friendship with Adrien so much that if anything went wrong with this “engagement” plan of theirs, she wasn’t sure that she could salvage their relationship.

She didn’t want to lose him.


	3. Chapter 3

The next two days saw Marinette working long hours at the boutique where she worked. It was a good thing, too, as it kept her mind off the impending meeting on Friday. She hadn’t heard much from Adrien since Sunday night and was growing increasingly concerned about the end of the week.

It was Tuesday night when Adrien finally showed up on her doorstep again, this time carrying a bag of groceries in his arms. “Hey, busy?”

“No. I was just trying to figure out what to do for dinner,” Marinette said, eyeing the bag of groceries.

“Let me guess, it’s a tie between a jar of Nutella and the last remnants of Indian food.”

“No,” Marinette said with a pout. “I ran out of Nutella last week.”

This made Adrien laugh. “Then I guess it’s a good thing that I stopped through the market.”

“Adrien, you didn’t have to do that—”

“Yes, I did. I saw your fridge on Saturday and I know you won’t get paid until Thursday.”

It wasn’t the first time Adrien had bought groceries for Marinette because she was low on funds. She protested at first, but he won her over eventually. Mostly because she could repay him by making hats and scarves and the like for him to wear. Adrien acted like these little gifts were the greatest treasures he’d ever received.

And they probably were.

The first time Marinette made something for Adrien was on his sixteenth birthday. It was a hand knitted scarf made of a pale blue merino wool that she found in a local yarn shop. It took three full months to finish because she had only just learned how to knit at the time, but it was worth it.

When Adrien discovered that she had made it herself he hugged her for a full minute, during which he was trying to hold back tears. She never realized how much he needed someone like her in his life until that moment. From that day on she promised him that he could always come to her when he needed to escape the silence of his room.

Nino was Adrien’s other close friend, along with Alya, but Marinette was always number one in his book. Maybe it was because of the way they just clicked together or how their personalities complimented the other. Either way, theirs was a friendship that people wrote stories about but rarely found.

She’d like to believe that their friendship could withstand anything, but there was a lingering doubt within Marinette’s heart that if Adrien found out about her feelings he would shut her out of his life. It was irrational, she knew that, but it was still there.

It wasn’t that she desperately _needed_ Adrien in her life. She could get by no problem, but it would be a miserable experience. He was her partner in crime, her confidant, her best friend.

She _wanted_ to share her life with him.

“So, how does pasta sound?” Adrien asked, pulling Marinette from her thoughts. “Nothing special, but it shouldn’t take too long to make.”

She could see the exhaustion in Adrien’s eyes. “I can make it. You go lie down until it’s done.”

“Mar, I’m fine,” Adrien argued.

“No, you’re not. You should be resting right now.”

“Can I at least—” Adrien began.

Marinette huffed. “No, now get!”

“But—”

“Do I have to tie you to that couch myself?” she asked with her hands on her hips. She realized too late what she had just said to him.

Adrien smirked. “Is that a promise?”

Marinette flushed and had to steady her voice as much as possible before poking him lightly in the chest. “You. Couch. Now.”

“If you wanted me on my back that badly, Mar, all you had to do was ask,” he said, eyes twinkling with mischief.

And didn’t that conjure up some filthy images for Marinette to sort through later that night, but at the current moment she was more concerned about Adrien’s health. She swatted his shoulder. “Go lie down before you pass out standing up.”

Finally worn down by her, Adrien simply nodded and trudged his way over to her sofa where he collapsed. Within minutes, Marinette could see the steady rise and fall of his chest as he slumbered.

How long had he been awake? Had he been watching anime all night?

It was probably his job again.

She walked over to him as she waited for the water to come to a boil. He looked so innocent when he was asleep. With a tug, Marinette pulled the blanket resting on the back of her sofa over him. He never moved, continuing to snore softly away. She reached down and brushed a few errant strands away from his closed eyes. There were bags under his eyes that hadn’t been there on Saturday. “You need to take better care of yourself.”

He didn’t respond, but she didn’t expect him to.

The noodles didn’t take long to cook. The store bought sauce was actually quite delicious and she made a mental note to buy some more when she went shopping next. She piled the noodles onto two plates and set them down on the table. Now to wake Adrien.

He wasn’t much of a morning person, but he’d get up if he had to. It made him the perfect snuggle buddy on weekend mornings when neither of them had to work.

“Adrien.” She shook his shoulder, but he must have been more tired than she initially thought. “You need to eat something. Come on, get up.”

Marinette squealed as Adrien’s arms shot out and pulled her on top of him. He held her close and buried his face in her neck. “Five more minutes.”

“Adrien, it’s time for dinner,” Marinette said.

Adrien opened one eye. “Can we just stay like this for a little while? Please?”

“Adrien…” Marinette could sense that there was something off with him tonight, but also knew that he would tell her when he was ready. She took a moment to adjust her position so that her body was parallel to his and wrapped her arms around him as best she could. She then rubbed his back to sooth his more than likely sore muscles.

A moan filled the room when Marinette rubbed a particular spot on his lower back. She stopped moving the instant it happened. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” he breathed. “That just felt really good.”

She should stop, she really should, but damn it if that wasn’t the most erotic sound that Adrien had ever made. 

She wanted to hear it again.

With her left hand, Marinette rubbed the same area as before and was rewarded with another happy sound from Adrien, this time louder.

_Dangerous territory, Marinette. Very dangerous._

When the knot in his back had been worked out completely, she set about massaging other parts of his back until suddenly Adrien pulled away with wide eyes. “Bathroom,” he said before untangling himself from her, falling to the floor with a loud thump, and then scrambling to his feet and darting from the room.

Marinette stared after him in shock.

What the hell just happened?

It wasn’t until five minutes later that Adrien finally showed his face again. Marinette had already started in on her plate of pasta when sat he down. He was slightly flushed around the neck, but otherwise looked fine. Probably not a good time to bring up his reaction earlier.

“Do you have to work tomorrow?” she asked to break the silence.

He cleared his throat. “No, but I do have a session with my personal trainer in the afternoon.”

“Why don’t you stay the night?”

“I don’t think that would be a good idea…”

Marinette blinked. “Why not? You’re practically asleep at the table, Adrien.”

He rubbed the back of his head. One of these days he’s going to form a bald spot there from doing that all the time. “I guess.”

“What’s the matter? You’ve been acting strange since you got here.”

Adrien visibly paled. “Nothing. Nothing is wrong. I’m just…”

“Tired?”

He nodded. With a heavy sigh, Adrien finally picked up his fork and dug into his food. “It’s just been a long day.”

Marinette stared at him for another second. He seemed okay, but there was something niggling at the back of her mind that he wasn’t her telling something. She wouldn’t push him, though. It was late so she would leave it be for now.

There wasn’t much conversation, but that wasn’t unusual. They finished dinner and prepared for bed. As they brushed their teeth, Marinette noticed that Adrien was sans shirt again and she could see little red marks all over his shoulders.

They looked like hickeys.

Her blood went cold. Was Adrien seeing someone?

“What’s wrong?”

Marinette jumped at his voice. “Nothing!”

“It’s something. What is it?” Adrien was clearly concerned, but she didn’t want to tell him what was bothering her.

She finished brushing her teeth and left the bathroom without saying another word. Adrien was right behind her a moment later. “Marinette, what’s the matter?”

“I said it was nothing!” she growled out, tears stinging her eyes as she headed for her room.

A hand wrapped around her forearm to stop her. “Mar, please talk to me.”

Marinette took a second to blink away the tears before she said, “Why do you have hickeys?”

Adrien’s hand loosened on her arm. “What?”

“Even if it’s just pretend, we are still engaged. If you’re seeing someone—”

“Woah, no. I’m not seeing anyone right now. These are from one of today’s photo shoots,” he said, stepping around in front of Marinette. With a swipe of his thumb, one of the hickeys smeared. “See, just make up. I forgot to wash them off.”

“Oh,” Marinette said. Well, that was humiliating. “Sorry, I just, I thought…”

Something in Adrien’s expression softened and he pulled her into a hug. A moment later he pulled away and looked down at her with curiosity. “Why did it bother you so much?”

For a moment, she was unsure how to respond but said the most reasonable thing she could think of at that moment. “You’re my best friend, Adrien. I would think you would at least tell me if you were seeing someone. You know, because I’m your friend.”

“Oh,” he whispered as he looked away from her. “No, I’m not seeing anyone. I wouldn’t do that. Not right now.”

Without another word, Adrien walked back into the bathroom and closed the door. The next moment, she heard the faucet turn on.  

Was he upset that she doubted him?

She continued to stand there until he came out of the bathroom. He gave her a smile that didn’t reach his eyes and wished her goodnight. He wouldn’t even look at her after that.

It was late and Marinette wasn’t sure that Adrien would even listen to her apology right now. With one last look at her best friend, she decided it was best to leave it until morning.

He was already gone by the time she woke up the next day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You’re both stupid.”

Marinette glared at her friend. “What was I supposed to say, Alya? ‘ _Hey, sorry about what I said. I was just insanely jealous about the idea that you might be dating someone who isn’t me. My bad_.’ Yeah, right.”

Alya just shook her head. “Idiots, the both of you. One of these days you’ll both see…”

“What?”

“Nothing. And then he just left the next day?” Alya asked, grabbing a jar of pickled peppers off the shelf.

Marinette groaned. “I never got the chance to apologize.”

“Then call him and say you’re sorry,” Alya suggested.

“This is not something I can apologize about over the phone.”

Alya shook her head. “Look, I’m sure he’s not really mad at you. He’s probably more angry at himself for not removing them sooner,” she said. “Among other things.”

“What other things?” Marinette asked, confused as to what else might be bothering Adrien. “What else could he be mad about other than his best friend accusing him of lying?”

Alya stopped in the middle of the aisle and took a deep breath, as though to calm down. “Girl, I don’t even know what to tell you anymore. This is really something you need to figure out between you and Adrien.”

“I’m really not following what you’re saying, Alya.”

“Yeah, I know. You never follow what I say.”

Marinette stared after her friend in confusion. She knew that she needed to talk to Adrien, but didn’t know how to approach him at the moment. Even worse was the fact that the dinner with Adrien’s father was tomorrow night and she hadn’t spoken to Adrien since Tuesday. She called Mr. Agreste’s personal assistant yesterday to confirm her availability and was informed to be at Adrien’s childhood home by six o’clock.

Her phone chirped with a text.

_Dinner at my place tonight?_ –Adrien.

She smiled with relief.

_I’ll bring dessert. –Marinette_


	4. Chapter 4

Marinette arrived at Adrien’s apartment after swinging by her parents to pick up a box of pastries. The shop was technically closed for the night, but being the baker’s daughter had its perks.

With a spare key that Adrien had given her not long after moving into the apartment, Marinette let herself into the foyer. His apartment was massive compared to her tiny, one bedroom apartment but it looked significantly less lived in.

Adrien wasn’t one for decorating and had to drag her along with him when he went shopping for furniture. Marinette was not much of an interior decorator but she could at least pick out the colors that worked well together, which he appreciated.

The lights were off. He must not be home yet.

Light filled the room as she pressed the button on the wall. The hallway leading to the kitchen was filled with paintings by a former classmate of theirs, Nathaniel. He was making a bit of name for himself after he moved to the States. It was amazing how much he had changed over the years. She remembered when he used to have a crush on her while they were all still in school.

A nostalgic smile lit her face as she analyzed what must have been one of Nathaniel’s most recent paintings. It featured the silhouette of a woman wearing a long dress standing by a window. It was captivating.

She was glad he was doing well.

Marinette set the box of desserts on the counter of Adrien’s sleek and modern kitchen. Everything gleamed silver and black with only the smallest hints of wear. He’d been living in this apartment since he could afford to move out which, given the money he made off his job, hadn’t been very long after they graduated from school. He had been so thrilled to no longer be directly under his father’s thumb.

His father had wanted to keep a security detail on him, but Adrien wasn’t having any of it. It was one of the biggest fights he’d ever had with his father and resulted in Adrien almost completely cutting his father out of his life.

They eventually reconciled, but Marinette knew it was only a matter of time before his father stuck his nose into Adrien’s business again.

Much like he had with the engagement.

Marinette sighed as she checked Adrien’s refrigerator. “Fully stocked. That’s a surprise.”

As she was sorting through the ingredients she found in there to determine what kind of dinner they could make, Marinette heard the front door open and close. Adrien’s voice drifted in from the front room, but he wasn’t talking to her.

“—I don’t care, father! Why does it matter now? We’re having dinner with you tomorrow night and—what do you mean, she’ll be there?! I thought you just wanted to meet with _us_!—No, it’s—why? Marinette is my fiancee and—that’s not going to happen. Mar and I—well, you can just tell her that I— _fine_. Do whatever you please.” Adrien cut the conversation off with a curse and Marinette heard something hit the wall with a thump.

Not good news, then.

She waited for him to enter the room before greeting him. “Hey.”

Adrien jumped and whirled around to face her, panic in his eyes. “Marinette! When—what did you—“

“I heard the conversation. Sorry, I should have texted you.”

“No, no it’s fine. I just…dad called me in the lobby. He just—argh!” He grabbed his hair in frustration. “There might be a slight change to tomorrow night’s plan.”

“So I heard.”

He winced. “It seems that he still hasn’t given up on the whole ‘arranged marriage’ thing. He decided that I should consider _all_ of my options before settling down.”

Marinette was furious. What, was she not good enough for Adrien in Gabriel’s eyes? Consider his options? What a piece of—

“Ooo, macarons!” Adrien exclaimed as he opened the box from her parent’s patisserie.

Marinette sighed, calming the rage burning in her belly. “Mom and dad say hi.”

He smiled, but it faltered a second later. “Did you, um…”

“No. I told them we’d visit sometime this week. That is, if you’re free.”

“Okay, that works.”

An awkward silence fell between them.

“Marinette, I—”

“Look Adrien—”

They both laughed before Adrien said, “Mar, I’m sorry about the other night.”

“No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have accused you of lying to me.”

Adrien looked puzzled. “Oh, um, I wasn’t upset about that.”

“Oh, wait, what?”

Running a hand through his hair, Adrien sighed and said, “I was mad at myself, to be honest.”

“About what?” Marinette asked, coming towards him. “I was the one who basically accused you of cheating, for the lack of a better word. You should be furious with me.”

He snorted. “Me? Cheat? No, I would never consider cheating on yo—” He cut himself off with a cough.

“Oh, yeah. It could ruin the whole ‘fake engagement’ thing if someone finds out that you had a girlfriend,” Marinette mused.

Adrien looked away. “Yeah.”

“So, we’ll be meeting your prospective bride tomorrow night?” she asked, hiding the hint of jealousy from her voice. “Wonder who she is?”

“Diplomat’s daughter. That’s all I’ve been told so far.” With a wave of his hand, Adrien walked over to his refrigerator to grab an already open bottle of wine and set it on the counter. “White okay?”

“Yeah.”

He pulled two wine glasses from his cupboard and filled each about halfway. Marinette grabbed a glass from Adrien’s hand and took a sip. “So, what did we want to make tonight?” she asked.

“How does quiche sound?”

“Good to me.”

It was a good thing Marinette had her father’s recipe memorized because they made quick work and had it in the oven within half an hour. Adrien set out the plates and silverware before going to change. He stopped halfway to his bedroom. “Hey, Mar, do you mind if a I take a quick shower? I smell like cheap perfume and sweat right now.”

“Not at all,” she called out from the living room. They were airing the red carpet of an awards show in the United States and Marinette couldn’t resist critiquing the fashion of the many actors and actresses present.

While Adrien was away, Marinette kept an eye on the food while wincing over some questionable design elements she saw on the television. Why were there so many awkward sleeves this year?

“I think I remember that one from the runway last year.” Marinette jumped a bit at Adrien’s voice, but didn’t take her eyes off the television. She was too engrossed in the fashion.

“I would like it better if the color of the fabric was a bit brighter and the dress had one less design element to focus on.”

“Hmm, or if the bottom of the dress was shorter because she’s practically tripping over the hem.”

Marinette nodded and turned to say something about the waist being too low, but stopped the moment she saw him.

Sweet merciful god, he was only wearing a towel around his waist.

Water droplets clung to his moist skin as he dried his hair with another towel, his eyes focused completely on the television. The scent of Adrien’s favorite body wash wafted over her and Marinette had to remember to breathe normally.

This was hell. Sweet, blissful hell.

The timer dinged and Marinette practically leaped from the couch to check on the food, noting that Adrien still hadn’t taken his eyes off the television. 

Thank god.

The quiche was perfectly cooked and Marinette sliced it into sixths.

“One piece or two?” she asked, not looking up.

“Two,” Adrien said as he started walking over to his bedroom and Marinette got a good look at his muscular back.

She hated to see him leave, but loved to watch him walk away.

With a shake of her head, Marinette slid two pieces onto his plate and placed one on her own. She decided to make a simple salad as well, which only took her a few minutes. By the time she had set out the table, Adrien was back in the room wearing a pair of gray sweats and a black tank top. His hair was still damp and sticking up in places.

“God, I’m so hungry,” he complained. “Had an early lunch and haven’t eaten since.”

“Well, there is plenty of food left.”

As they waited for their quiche to cool, they discussed ideas about their fake engagement.

Marinette said, “We can leave everything about how we met and became friends the same, seeing as that is probably something your father already knows. The more truthful our story, the better, I say.”

“I agree. We could also say that we became mutually attracted to each other over the years and one day realized that we felt the same way. It didn’t occur at any specific moment, but just gradually happened over time to the point that we felt that dating really didn’t serve a purpose seeing as we’ve been acting like a couple for a while now,” Adrien added.

“We don’t act like a couple.”

“According to Nino, we do. Apparently, having your own dresser drawer and toothbrush at your best friend’s apartment isn’t normal.”

Marinette blinked at him. “Really? Well, what if we’re really close, though? I mean, we crash at each other’s places all the time and it’s just easier to have some of your clothes there just in case you don’t get a chance to go back home before the next day.”

Adrien nodded. “And it’s not like we share a bed or anything. Well, except that one time.”

“Yeah, but that was Alya’s fault. You know I don’t like scary movies that much. I was too freaked out to sleep in my own room by myself that night. Totally normal for your best friend to share your bed in that case,” Marinette defended.

Was their behavior that strange?

Adrien swallowed a piece of his quiche before he said, “Yeah. Besides, it’s not like we’ve ever slept together or anything. I mean, we’re just really close and enjoy hanging out together. Why be with someone else when you already have your favorite person right there, right?”

Marinette stared at him in shock. “Y—yeah, right.”

Adrien smiled at her. “More wine?”

“Yeah.”

She was his favorite person? Well, she had an idea that she was but hearing him say it out loud made her feel warm all over.

Gosh, she loved this man.

When it was finally time for Marinette to leave for the night, the two had an actual written list of things that made their sudden engagement more believable. They had agreed that Adrien had proposed over dinner one night, but he hadn’t bought a ring yet because he wanted her to pick one out herself.

“He’ll ask about it,” Adrien said as Marinette put on her coat.

She nodded before realizing something they hadn’t covered yet. “Wait, what day did you propose?”

“Um, how about on the 18th of last month? Right after we went to Nino’s one gig. You remember, the one with the glow in the dark paint?”

“Oh my god, Alya was so mad! Nino forgot to tell her about the paint.”

Adrien laughed. “You should have seen his face afterwards! I don’t think he’ll ever forget to forewarn her again after that.”

They were both still giggling when they hugged each other good night. Just before Marinette walked out the door, she felt Adrien’s hand on her shoulder and turned around to face him. “Yeah, what’s up?”

He was blushing. “I just wanted to thank you for doing this for me. You have no idea how grateful I am.”

The sincerity in his voice made Marinette smile. “I couldn’t let _my_ favorite person be forced into something he doesn’t want. Besides, I agreed to do this and I plan to see it through with you until the very end.”

“Yeah?” Adrien asked breathlessly.

“Yeah. It’ll be fine, Adrien. You’re not alone, remember? You’ll always have me, no matter what.”

And then Marinette did something that surprised even her; she kissed him. It was quick and feather-light, but it was a kiss none the less.

Before she went into a full panic attack, she said, “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

And with that, she was out the door, leaving Adrien gaping in her wake.


	5. Chapter 5

“No. Not this one either. What about the pink one? Hmm, maybe not.”

Marinette was doing her best to keep calm as she sorted through her closet searching for a dress that would fit a dinner with _the_ Gabriel Agreste.

Getting an invite to dine with the premier fashion designer in Paris was not at all nerve wracking. Nope. Not a bit.

She felt like her whole dream was about to crash and burn tonight if she didn’t find the right dress.

What she wouldn’t give to have Adrien there to help her decide or at least talk her down before she started to really panic. There was still a few hours left until Adrien picked her up and she needed to be ready by then. She still hadn’t taken a shower yet or picked out which shoes would be best.

Something red caught her eye.

It was a red halter-top dress with a black lace overlay. She remembered making it a while back, but never really had an opportunity to wear it. It was nearly knee length and left her shoulders and the top part of her back completely bare. Modest, yet flirty.

It was perfect.

Grabbing the dress, Marinette set about looking for a pair of matching black heels. She soon found a pair of black pumps that fit the bill.

She took a quick shower and was thankful that she had done her nails in a clear coat last night. Her makeup took her the better part of an hour, but it looked great when she finished. There was a lipstick that matched her dress that she simply couldn’t resist.

With her makeup done, Marinette set about doing her hair. A simple chignon suited her look best that night and didn’t take long to do. Once finished, she slipped on her dress and marveled at the way the skirt fluttered around her thighs. She really should wear this dress more often.

Next came her heels and a purse. She had a simple black clutch that she only used on special occasions. A dinner with the Agreste family patriarch seemed special enough.

Marinette checked her makeup one last time before she left her bedroom. Since she had finished early there was still a bit of time left before Adrien arrived at her apartment. She turned the television on to distract herself from the anxiety churning in her stomach.

She was going to have dinner with Gabriel Agreste, world famous fashion designer and Adrien’s father.

Adrien’s all but absentee father.

Anger on behalf of her best friend began to replace the anxiety in her belly. Adrien never really talked about his relationship with his father unless the older man decided to butt into Adrien’s life without much consideration for his son’s personal feelings. They hardly got along at the best of times and were quick to argue at the drop of a hat.

Or at the mention of Adrien’s mother.

That was another incredibly sensitive topic for Adrien. It made her wonder if that was why Adrien had been so out of it the other day. Whenever anyone mentioned Adrien’s mother, he would emotionally shut down. It broke her heart to watch her friend pull away from those around him.

Marinette had only met Adrien after his mother disappeared so she didn’t know any details other than what the news had reported and what Adrien himself was willing to divulge to her. The first time she asked about it he closed her out and refused to talk to her for days afterward. She thought he wouldn’t forgive her for that. After almost a week he came over to her house and apologized, asking if they could still remain friends. She had never seen him look so nervous. The sheer relief on his face when she told him that she wouldn’t give on their friendship just like that broke her heart.

The doorbell rang.

She didn’t realize how late it had gotten while she was reminiscing over old memories. Grabbing her shoes off the floor, Marinette walked over to the door to let Adrien in.

As soon as she got her first look at Adrien in a black suit she wanted nothing more than to drag him into her bedroom and not leave it for the rest of the night.

Really not a good time for her libido to be rearing its desperate head.

Adrien was fiddling with one of his cuff links. “Good evening, Mar! I hope you’re ready for tonight’s din—” His voice trailed off as he shifted his gaze to her.

His jaw went slack as his eyes widened.

Marinette shifted uncomfortably under his stare. Did it look bad? Was it too risque? Should she have gone with her long sleeved black dress instead? “Do I look okay? Is it too revealing?”

With a swallow, Adrien said in a strangely thick voice, “No. No, you look great. Amazing. You—you look beautiful.”

Her cheeks reddened so fast that Marinette worried that she might pass out due to a lack of blood flowing to the rest of her body. Careful not to ruin her lipstick by biting her lip nervously, she said, “You don’t look half bad yourself.”

What a lie. Adrien looked like sex on two legs. His suit was perfectly tailored with a black tie that disappeared underneath a waistcoat. His hair, which was a shade darker than it used to be when they were teenagers, was styled in a messy pompadour with a stray lock grazing his forehead.

Damn, he was gorgeous.

Adrien finally seemed to come back to himself and awkwardly coughed into his hand. “So, um, you ready?”

“Um, yeah. Just let me grab my coat.” Marinette walked over to a small closet near the entryway and pulled out her black wool coat. It wasn’t that cold out yet, but she knew that the temperature would drop later on that night.

Quickly slipping her heels on and grabbing her clutch purse, Marinette stepped out into the hallway and locked her apartment door. Adrien offered her his arm and she took it with only a hint of hesitation. He led her towards the elevator.

She could smell his aftershave as she stepped in close to him and a pleasant tingle went up her spine. The heat radiating from his body lit up all the nerves on the side of her body closest to him. From her vantage point, Marinette secretly traced Adrien’s face with her eyes. From his chiseled jawline to his deliciously pouty lips right up to his bright green eyes that were now looking down at her curiously.

“What’s wrong?” he asked her.

“Oh, nothing. It’s just…” she trailed off.

“Yeah?”

“You…look like a model.”

His lips twitched in amusement. “Oh, really? Well, you should know that I am a model.”

The elevator doors opened and they stepped inside.

She snorted. “You know what I mean.”

Adrien hit the button for the lobby. “What? That I’m devilishly handsome? Every woman’s dream?” He touched his chin thoughtfully. “Really, what must it be like to gaze upon such perfection?”

With a roll of her eyes, Marinette said, “I don’t know. Tell me when you meet someone that good looking. I’d like to give him my number.”

Adrien scowled, but smiled a moment later. “You just have no taste.”

She gasped in mock offense. “I’ll have you know that I have great taste when it comes to men.”

“Really? And what tickles Marinette’s fancy when it comes to suitors, pray tell?” Adrien asked with an odd note in his voice.

Marinette quirked a brow. “Why so curious, Mr. Agreste?”

He winced. “Please don’t call me that. It reminds me too much of work and the fact that we are meeting with father in a few minutes.”

A giggle escaped her at Adrien’s pout. “Okay, I’ll try to resist the urge.”

“Thank you,” he said. “But you didn’t answer my question. What is it that you look for in a partner?”

“Well, what do you look for in a girl?”

“Nice try. I asked you first.”

Damn. Well, might as well get it over with then. “Hm, I guess someone who is kind.”

“Just kind?”

“Well, and funny. Someone with a good sense of humor.”

The doors to the elevator slid open and they stepped out into the lobby of Marinette’s apartment building. She noticed a silver car waiting just outside the doors with familiar person standing next to it. Adrien’s childhood chauffeur.

As they stepped out into the Parisian night, Marinette felt the anxiety from earlier come rushing back. She was about to have dinner with Adrien’s father.

Gorilla, the nickname Adrien gave his chauffeur years ago, opened the door for them. Adrien assisted her into the car before sliding in next to her. The windows of the vehicle had been tinted from the outside so she didn’t get a good view of the car’s interior until she was sitting inside of it. It had black leather seats and a divider between the front and back seats.

As soon as Gorilla turned the car on, he turned to look at Adrien. Adrien nodded once and the divider came up, leaving the two in privacy.

“So, funny and kind? What else?”

He just didn’t quit, did he?

“Um, I don’t really know.”

“You don’t know?”

Marinette sighed. “Why are we even having this discussion, Adrien? We’re technically engaged to each other at the moment.”

Adrien’s lips thinned and he looked away from her. “I was just curious is all.”

“Really?”

Why was he suddenly so interested in her love life?

Oh no. He wasn’t trying to set her up with someone again, was he?

The last time he showed this level of interest in her love life, or lack there of, Adrien had attempted to set her up with Nino. It had been a complete disaster.

Since Adrien had been the one to ask her to the zoo, Marinette thought that he might have been interested in her too. Alya coached her along via a Bluetooth headset, but soon they both realized that Marinette might have been set up. And then an animal managed to get loose in the zoo and somehow Nino and Alya ended up together in a food stand while Marinette hid in a bathroom until the animal could be captured.

It wasn’t until after the incident that Marinette learned from Nino that Adrien had been helping him try to ask her out that day.

It had crushed her.

She refused to speak to Adrien for a week after the zoo incident and when she finally began texting him again she made him promise to never try to set her up with someone again.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Adrien asked, pulling her from memories of the past.

She grinned, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Just reminiscing.”

“Really? About what?”

“Nothing important.” She hoped he would leave it be, but he really was too curious for his own good.

He leaned in close. “Oh, come on, Mar. Inquiring minds want to know.”

She sighed. “Fine. I was thinking about that one time at the zoo.”

“Oh.” He looked out the window. “Why are you thinking about that now?”

“No real reason. It just popped into my head all of a sudden.”

“Ah.” He went silent.

The rest of the car ride passed in awkward silence as Marinette mentally ran through the list the two of them had made the night before. She was still mentally prepping herself when the car came to a complete stop.

They were there.

Gorilla opened the door and Adrien stepped out first before offering his hand to her with a nervous smile.

Okay, breathe. She could do this. Adrien was there with her. It would be okay.

The steps leading up to the grand house that was Adrien’s childhood home seemed daunting and she felt weak in the knees. Adrien, having sensed her fear, wrapped an arm around her waist in support as they climbed the steps. When they finally reached the door it swung open to reveal a grand foyer.

Breathe, she told herself.

“Good evening and welcome to my home, Miss Dupain-Cheng.”

Gabriel Agreste stood at the top of a flight of steps leading to the second floor, his sharp eyes trained on her with what she hoped was curiosity. He was wearing a gray suit with a blue tie and matching pocket square. His hair was slicked back in his traditional pompadour. He was as imposing as ever.

“Good evening, Mr. Agreste.”

“Please, call me Gabriel.”

“Of course. Gabriel.” She gave him a small smile.

He didn’t smile back.

“Adrien,” Gabriel said, inclining his head towards his son.

“Father,” Adrien responded, his face not giving away any emotion.

Without another word, Gabriel descended the steps and gestured towards a set of double doors leading into another room. They followed and found themselves inside a large dining room.

A woman with long brown and a beautiful orange dress stood by one of the windows with a glass of champagne in her hand. As soon as they entered the room, she turned to face them with a coy smile. Gabriel walked them over to where she was standing. “Adrien, Miss Dupain-Cheng, may I introduce Miss Lila Rossi. She is the daughter of a friend of mine. She will be joining us for dinner tonight.”

Lila extended her hand to Adrien in a gesture for him to kiss it. “My, it is such an honor to finally meet you Adrien.”

“Likewise,” Adrien said after he pressed a quick kiss to her hand.

“I must say, I am delighted that your father decided to invite me tonight. You are far more handsome in person.”

Marinette felt a prickle of annoyance at the exchange, especially when she realized that Lila was all but ignoring her presence.

Adrien gave the brunette a tight smile. “Thank you. You look beautiful tonight, Miss Rossi.”

“Please call me Lila. I’d like to think that we might become friends after tonight.”

Before Adrien could respond, a butler came into the room to announce that the first course was ready to be served. Gabriel gestured for them to take a seat.

The table was long, usually meant for many guests, so the four sets of plates and silverware was set only on one end. One set was at the head of the table, meant for Gabriel. Two sets were side by side while the last set was on the opposite side.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng, might I ask if you would please sit on my other side,” Gabriel asked. “I hope that’s not a problem.”

Her eyes widened. That meant that Adrien would have to sit next to Lila at the table instead of herself. What was Gabriel playing at?

“Oh, of course.”

For a brief moment, Marinette saw Lila shoot her a victorious smirk from behind Adrien’s back. She internally bristled.

Something was definitely going on.


End file.
